Author Topic: Dip Tanks  (Read 1281 times)

Offline rmonks

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Dip Tanks
« on: November 04, 2011, 02:30:10 PM »
Been reading all the post on dip tanks this board and others, getting ready to pull the trigger on this part of the screen printing process. I think I am going with SUPRA chem. from easyway and a 37 gal tank. I saw on another board a printer had his tank lined with 1/2 in. styrafoam board, and looks like he had some sort of a heater like you would see used on a waterbed it was attached to the lower side of the tank. This person said they keep their tank at about 97 degrees, does temperature affect the cleaning ability of the chemicals.


Offline mk162

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Re: Dip Tanks
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2011, 02:44:54 PM »
it speeds it up, but frankly, I don't need to go that fast.  I find that I can't keep up with 4 screens at a time as it is..so why waste the time and effort in heating the tank.

Offline ZooCity

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Re: Dip Tanks
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2011, 03:52:26 PM »
The temp should make stripping emulsion go real fast, probably a little too fast for most.  I know that reclaiming with warm water is much faster so logically so would warm solution. 

A bigger benefit for many may be using the heater to keep the tank solution at a stable temp all year, like 60 or 70 deg for instance.  I know I may be using a heating wrap on my tanks soon when we move them to our new, more spacious shop, just so I don't have to keep the entire washout area heated overnight in the colder months.  I think letting the temp of the chem jump up and down would probably shorten it's life.

I was a dip tank skeptic but have found the benefits to be great in the end.  We use Franmar One-step but only as an emulsion stripper, not a true one-step ink/emulsion remover and then another tank with plain water for resolving screens.  One tank is Easiway, one Blackline and I probably like the Blackline better since it's lower to the ground and less of a big lift to get the screens out.  I am glad that we have tanks that are visually distinct though, I can't imagine how many times we would have dunked a freshly exposed screen in the wrong one by accident as we keep them side by side.

Last two bits of advice: build a rack for the base and walls so the tank doesn't bulge out and lid fits proper, keeping evaporation down and put casters on the bottom of that rack, these effers are heavy when full. 

Happy Friday.



Offline T Shirt1

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Re: Dip Tanks
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2011, 04:29:52 PM »
Sounds like ours which we shamelessly copied from Mr. Kitson. Do not insulate over the heater.
Here's the contact info;

Todd Stahly
UHI Worldwide
Phone: 574-522-6594
email: todd.stahly@uhiworldwide.com
Website: www.ultraheat.com

steve